Sanctions lifted in exchange for prisoners: Chechen dictator's unexpected offer
Details
Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov has offered to release captured ukrainian fighters in exchange for the lifting of sanctions against members of his family. He said this during a meeting of security forces in Grozny.
Kadyrov handed the list of captives to former US intelligence officer Scott Ritter, who justifies the russian invasion of Ukraine and works for russian propaganda.
While handing over the list to Ritter, he was shown a video of the captured ukrainians. Kadyrov offers to release 20 captives on condition that sanctions are lifted on his loved ones, as well as his planes and horses.
Context: Kadyrov has no authority to make such offers, as he is only the head of a russian region. However, de facto Chechnya has much more autonomy than other constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and Kadyrov is not subordinate to anyone but Putin and acts only in his own interests.
Finland is moving to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision comes as a direct response to growing aggression from Russia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has approved a set of controversial laws, including a “foreign agent” act aimed at NGOs and media. Critics say it mimics the U.S. FARA but is weaponized against dissent.
A long-feared megaquake off Japan’s Pacific coast could cause up to $1.81 trillion in damage and kill nearly 300,000 people, according to a new government report.
We regret to inform you that due to lack of funding we are forced to discontinue the English version of our website. This decision was not easy for us, as we have always strived to provide quality and timely information for our international audience and Russian-speaking readers. Unfortunately, the current financial realities leave us no other choice.
The Russian-language version of the site will continue to operate, but in a limited mode. We understand that this will create inconvenience for many of our readers, and we apologize for possible interruptions in the provision of news and analytical materials on this resource.
We appeal to you, our loyal readers, with a request to support our editorial staff. Your help will allow us to continue our work and provide you with important and relevant news. Please go to the support page and make your contribution to the development of independent journalism.
We thank you for your understanding and look forward to your support during this difficult time.
The Russian capital faced one of the largest terrorist attacks in its history. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which claimed the lives of many innocent people, was the second largest after the Beslan tragedy. But unlike previous attacks, this incident is shrouded in a layer of contradictory facts and ambiguities that point to possible miscalculations by the Russian security services